Swivel connector for suction conduit of surface machining tools

ABSTRACT

Swivel connector for suction conduit of surface machining tools comprised of a first sleeve and a second sleeve that can be swivelled in relation to each other once assembled so as to set the respective longitudinal axes in at least two mutual angular positions, for example 0° and 90°, in order to favor more flexible operation of the tool in restricted spaces.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This document claims priority from Italian Utility Model No. MI2007U000179, filed on May 11, 2007, which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a swivel connector for connecting two lengths of a dust suction system for a surface machining tool.

The problems caused by dust scattered in the environment by working tools are well known. The possibility of removing such dust by suction improves the tool operating conditions and also the operator's working conditions. Consider, by way of example, an orbital polisher without dust suction that operates in a closed environment.

Notwithstanding the undeniable working advantages and presence in the prior art, the combination of a suction system and a tool may cause ergonomic problems due to the added encumbrance of the suction tube and the scant flexibility in deciding the positioning thereof. Indeed, the prior art connectors allow for placement of the suction tube in only one position, typically in a direction either perpendicular or parallel to the suction plane.

A typical drawback of this arrangement lies in the reduced possibility of maneuvering the tool in the direction of the suction tube. Consider, by way of example only, an orbital polisher that has to operate in a cramped environment and the advantage of being able to have the suction tube outlet perpendicular to the work surface. Similarly, a polisher may be used to work between two closely spaced walls by advantageously exploiting a connector whose axis is parallel to the walls. It is evident that unless there is a possibility of shifting the direction of the suction tube connector, the polisher cannot work in both situations.

SUMMARY

The object of the present invention is thus to overcome such disadvantages.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a swivel connector for suction systems coupled to machine tools.

A connector according to the invention comprises two sleeves, mutually rotatable around an oblique swivel axis, oriented in particular at 45° in relation to the direction of suction, along the respective swivel plane normal thereto. The first sleeve connects to the suction hose and the second sleeve connects to the tool side, for the suction of particulate matter. Owing to the type of coupling between the two sleeves, the relative position of the respective axes may be selected as desired, and in a continuous fashion, so that the respective axes are either coincident or mutually inclined by 90°.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of a non-restrictive example in the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a suction polisher with a connector according to the invention in the position with coincident axes;

FIG. 2 shows the polisher of FIG. 1 with the connector according to the invention in the position with the axes inclined by 90°;

FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the connector according to the invention in the position with coincident axes;

FIG. 4 shows a first sleeve of the connector according to the invention as viewed from below;

FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a second sleeve of the connector according to the invention as viewed from above;

FIG. 7 shows a longitudinal sectional view VII-VII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows the second sleeve of the connector according to the invention as viewed from the swivel plane;

FIG. 9 shows the connector according to the invention where the second sleeve is built integrally with the polisher.

FIG. 10 shows a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of the connector according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The drawings illustrate a connector 50 according to the present invention, comprised of a first sleeve 1 and a second sleeve 2. In FIG. 1 it is possible to note a polisher 52 connected by means of the connector 50 and a swivel coupling 51 to a tube in turn connected to a suction machine.

The first sleeve 1 is described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, where it is possible to distinguish a hollow cylindrical body 3 with one free end 4 for connection with a suction machine and one swivel end 5. The swivel end 5 is formed by a cylindrical projection 6 terminating in a ring-shaped portion 7 that is broader in diameter than the cylindrical part 6 and narrows in diameter in the terminal part. The axis of the swivel end 5 is oriented, in this purely illustrative non-restrictive example, at 45° in relation to the axis of the cylindrical section 3 of the first sleeve 1. A further characteristic of the cylindrical projection 6 and of the ring-shaped portion 7 is that of having pairs of notches 8 arranged along the diameters of the cylindrical part and which separate the cylindrical part 6 and the ring-shaped portion 7 into quadrants for the dual purpose of increasing the flexibility of the swivel end 5, which will have to engage with a corresponding cavity on the second sleeve, and of enabling the operation of relative rotation between the sleeves to be achieved simply by overcoming a locking torque caused by the engagement of the notches 8 with corresponding projections on the second sleeve, as will become more apparent below.

The second sleeve 2 is described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. It is possible to distinguish a hollow cylindrical body 9 with one free end 10 for connection with a machine tool and a swivel end 11. The swivel end 11 comprises a tapered hole 12, whose diameter narrows inwardly and is such that the cylindrical projection 6 and the ring-shaped portion 7 can be pushed into it for assembly, and which has at least one pair of projections 13, said projections 13 having dimensions such as to slightly reduce the diameter, and hence opening size of the tapered hole 12. The projections 13 of the second sleeve engage with the corresponding notches 8 of the first sleeve so as to enable the operation of relative rotation between the sleeves to be achieved simply with a light push and thus prevent free, uncontrolled rotation, for example while the machine it is fitted to is working. A further fundamental characteristic of the swivel end 11 is that the axis of the swivel end is oriented, in this purely illustrative non-restrictive example, at 45° in relation to the axis of the hollow cylindrical body 9 of the first sleeve 1.

At the time of assembly, the cylindrical part 6 and the ring-shaped portion 7 of the first sleeve 1 are pushed into the tapered hole 12 of the second sleeve 2, care being taken to match up the projections 13 and notches 8. The two axes of the swivel ends 5 and 11 will thus coincide to form a single swivel axis 14 and the first sleeve 1 and second sleeve 2 will be coupled together along a swivel plane 53 that is inclined in relation to the axes of the two sleeves and perpendicular to the swivel axis 14. The projections 13 are advantageously placed according to a diametrical axis, as it appears clearly, for example, in FIGS. 6 and 8, and the notches 8 are in turn placed according to two diametrical axes perpendicular to each other, as appears clearly in FIG. 4, so as to create temporary locks in the two working positions: with the sleeve axes parallel and with the axes perpendicular, according to the object of the present invention.

If desired, additional working positions may be provided for, at angles other than 0° and 90°, using suitable locking elements to be applied in the two sleeves 1 and 2.

Moreover, in a further embodiment, the sleeve 2 may be built integrally with the tool 52.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the connector according to the invention, in which the first and second sleeves 1 and 2 have respective hollow cylindrical bodies 3 and 9 with identical free ends 4 and 10 in which respective bushings 21 and 22 of the same or different diameter are rotatably housed. The connector 50 is thus rotatably connectable to a suction machine and a machine tool. 

1. Swivel connector for suction conduit of surface machining tools, to be combined in particular with a tool, characterized in that it comprises a first sleeve and a second sleeve coupled together along a swivel plane, which is inclined in relation to the longitudinal axes of the first sleeve and the second sleeve so that the respective longitudinal axes thereof have at least two mutual angular positions.
 2. Swivel connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the first sleeve is comprised of a hollow cylindrical body with one free end for connection with a suction machine and a swivel end formed by a cylindrical projection terminating in a ring-shaped portion that is broader in diameter than the cylindrical projection and narrows in diameter in the terminal part; and further characterized in that the second sleeve has a hollow cylindrical body with one free end for connection with a machine tool and a swivel end comprising a tapered hole whose diameter narrows inwardly and is such that the cylindrical projection and the ring-shaped portion can be pushed into the tapered hole for assembly.
 3. Swivel connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the swivel axis is inclined by 45° in relation to the longitudinal axes of the first sleeve and of the second sleeve when the longitudinal axes are coincident, thus achieving a 0° and 90° swivel connection for the longitudinal axes of the first sleeve and the second sleeve.
 4. Swivel connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the swivel axis is inclined by 45° in relation to the longitudinal axis of the first sleeve and of the second sleeve when the longitudinal axes are coincident, thus achieving a 0° and 90° swivel connection for the longitudinal axes of the first sleeve and the second sleeve.
 5. Swivel connector according to claim 2, characterized in that in the first sleeve the cylindrical projection and the ring-shaped portion have notches that separate the cylindrical projection and the relevant ring-shaped portion into quadrants so as to provide greater flexibility and further characterized in that in the second sleeve, the tapered hole features projections having dimensions such as to slightly reduce the diameter of the tapered hole and suitable for engaging with the corresponding notches of the first sleeve so that, following assembly of the sleeves, the operation of relative rotation between the first sleeve and the second sleeve can be achieved simply with a slight push, while free rotation is precluded and rotation is locked in positions defined by the projections and notches.
 6. Swivel connector according to claim 3, characterized in that in the first sleeve the cylindrical projection and the ring-shaped portion have notches that separate the cylindrical projection and the relevant ring-shaped portion into quadrants so as to provide greater flexibility and further characterized in that in the second sleeve, the tapered hole features projections having dimensions such as to slightly reduce the diameter of the tapered hole and suitable for engaging with the corresponding notches of the first sleeve so that, following assembly of the sleeves, the operation of relative rotation between the first sleeve and the second sleeve can be achieved simply with a slight push, while free rotation is precluded and rotation is locked in positions defined by the projections and notches.
 7. Swivel connector according to claim 4, characterized in that in the first sleeve the cylindrical projection and the ring-shaped portion have notches that separate the cylindrical projection and the relevant ring-shaped portion into quadrants so as to provide greater flexibility and further characterized in that in the second sleeve, the tapered hole features projections having dimensions such as to slightly reduce the diameter of the tapered hole and suitable for engaging with the corresponding notches of the first sleeve so that, following assembly of the sleeves, the operation of relative rotation between the first sleeve and the second sleeve can be achieved simply with a slight push, while free rotation is precluded and rotation is locked in positions defined by the projections and notches.
 8. Swivel connector according to claim 5, characterized in that the notches are arranged in opposing pairs at the diameter ends of the hollow cylindrical body and the projections are arranged in opposing pairs at the diameter ends of the tapered hole.
 9. Swivel connector according to claim 6, characterized in that the notches are arranged in opposing pairs at the diameter ends of the hollow cylindrical body and the projections are arranged in opposing pairs at the diameter ends of the tapered hole.
 10. Swivel connector according to claim 7, characterized in that the notches are arranged in opposing pairs at the diameter ends of the hollow cylindrical body and the projections are arranged in opposing pairs at the diameter ends of the tapered hole.
 11. Swivel connector according to claim 1, characterized in that said second sleeve is built integrally with the tool.
 12. Swivel connector according to claim 1, characterized in that both sleeves have free ends in which respective bushings are rotatably housed. 